Summary of some of the points made at the
March 26th launch of Networked e-learning Manifesto

Below we provide a brief but definitely not
comprehensive summary of some of the main points and questions
raised during the discussion at the launch event for the
Manifesto

1. The focus on Networked
e-learning

A view was expressed by some that rather
than simply focusing on networked e-learning the manifesto was
in fact addressing what was/is good learning and there was a
danger of looking technically deterministic by restricting
ourselves to networked e-learning

A counter view to this was as a
political statement it was important to keep the focus on
networked e-learning particularly at a time when interest in
e-learning is high on several political agendas both nationally
and wider afield

Whether to use e-learning at all was
questioned and why not restrict ourselves to the term networked
learning

2. Does it work for the world we operate in
on a daily basis

It was pointed out that in practice we
are generally in competition with each other and do need to
consider this in relation to such things as copyright issues
together with the time/work people put into preparing materials
etc.

Equally for some
subjects/departments/institutions the ideas reflected in the
manifesto would be rejected and such a 'vision' would be very
hard to present in some places.

3. Audience and target groups

The question of who was and who should
the manifesto be written for and targeted towards was raised as
important.

Equally it was asked why learners were
not more prominent as contributors to the
manifesto

4. Definition and cover

Do we need a more precise definition and
do we restrict our views of approaches to networked learning as
being either 'transmission' or 'collaborative'. What about
'acquisition'. Do we exclude other viable and useful
approaches?

We should have included more links to
research that supports our views and provide more explanation
to such statement as: 'the careful integration of course design
and innovative assessment can create as intimate an educational
experience as face to face encounters'.